How Do I Get Mayor-senpai To Notice Me?
by ItsComplicatedOkay
Summary: Isabelle realizes her feelings for the Mayor and decides to try to act upon them. Emphasis on "try". Fluffy IsabelleXMayor fluff. Rated T only for slight mature references
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I had just hopped onto the Animal Crossing bandwagon (_way_ too late, I know), and after playing for a while, I noticed that Isabelle is kind of a kouhai type of character that has a slight crush on the Player. I couldn't resist doing it. Don't expect some kind of plot twist ending or anything. This is just fluff: good fluff. I do hope you enjoy this! I'm planning ~7 short 1k chapters just like this one, so look forward to that. **

**Also, I'd like some feedback: do you want me to name the Mayor, or do you think keeping him as "the Mayor" is more flexible? Also, should I give him some dialogue, or should I just keep him a silent protagonist? Thanks a lot!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Animal Crossing, and if you sue me, I won't be able to buy Smash Bros this summer. I'll be very sad :(**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Days Zero and One: Make Him Breakfast_

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"Good night, Mr. Mayor!" said Isabelle, waving off the human as he exited the Town Hall. Once she was sure that he was out of sight, she lied back in her chair and sighed. She had a crush on her mayor. A huge one. He was just so confident, so sure of himself, even if he was just winging the job that he wasn't supposed to have. What animal in her right mind _wouldn't_ fall for him?

The problem was _could he fall for her?_ She was absent-minded and clumsy. Plus, she was his secretary. Even her own title - which she was proud to have, mind you - was stopping their potential relationship. It seemed as if the odds were against her. Isabelle took a deep breath and put on a determined face. She wouldn't mope any longer. What could she do to win her Mayor over? Like most people in this day and age, she booted up her computer and Googled up an answer. "'How to get Senpai to notice me'. There. That should be a good search query. Oh, I do hope that something good comes up."

Something did. The online Re-Tail store had a book called "Make Him Fall For You In A Fortnight" available for purchase. She looked at the title and sweatdropped. In a fortnight? It's been a while since that word was popular. Maybe it was at the peak of its popularity in the 19th Century. Would the book's nuances still apply to Isabelle's era? Well, it's not like she had a better option.

She ordered it right away.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

"Okay, so first step: make him some food. Luckily, I happen to know how to bake an apple pie from my desk," said Isabelle, sniffing the product of her hard work. It smelled wonderful, and if what her brother, Digby, told her was true, then they tasted just as good. She checked her clock. Six 'o clock in the morning. It was about time for the Mayor to wake up and start performing his duties: the perfect time to give him something to eat.

She strode out of the town hall and strutted towards the place where her love lived. It was a moderately big house, though according to Tom Nook, it could still get bigger if the Mayor wanted to upgrade his house. She doubted that he would because the Mayor was getting swamped with work at the moment. Speaking about work, she had better work harder for his sake. He had pledged to frequently add to the museum collection, he worked part-time at the Roost - he had even given Isabelle her favorite type of coffee - and he still had to manage the town as Mayor. Maybe if she worked harder, then he'd have less work to slug through.

She was shaken out of her thoughts when the door to the Mayor's house suddenly swung open. Surprised, she darted behind a tree, almost dropping her tasty treat. Oh, how was she going to approach him!? Would she be daring and say, "This is for you, my Mayor! I put a lot of love in this, so please enjoy it!" No, she was _way_ too bashful to do that. Maybe the hard-to-get way was best: "Um... hey, Mr. Mayor. I just happened to have an extra pie, and I don't mind if you have it, so take it." No no no, she'd probably flub it up and turn him away. _'Oh no, he's coming this way! I guess I'll have to wing it...'_

"Good morning, Mr. Mayor!" Isabelle greeted, popping out from behind the pear tree. After the Mayor smiled and waved at her, she continued, "U-um, as thanks for all your hard work, I'd like you to have this pie." She held it out, and he took it, sniffing it and smiling out of delight. He pocketed the pie and thanked her. "Oh, there's no need to repay me. Just doing my job, Mr. Mayor."

She turned away, internally jumping for joy. She did it! She successfully gave him her pie! And the smile on his face when he received it made all the effort of buying the book, reading it, and following its instructions all worth it. Just before she could return to the Town Hall and congratulate herself with more work, the Mayor put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. Oh my, what was going to happen!?

The Mayor spun her around and insisted on repaying her. Isabelle was so shocked that she couldn't deny him, only being able to nod. He reached into his pockets, pulling out a nice white parasol with pink lining the rims. He twirled it around and handed it over to Isabelle handle-first. Grinning from ear to ear, she grabbed it, making sure to brush her hand against his. Pocketing it, she had to muster all her self-control to be able to conceal her glee as she waved goodbye. Pumped up by her _very_ successful attempt at getting him to notice her, Isabelle ran back to the Town Hall, shut the door, and nearly swooned. It had gone almost perfectly. It would have been more perfect had he asked her out, but Isabelle was a patient Shih Tsu. She had a lot of time left with the Mayor, and the Secretary intended to make the most of it.

* * *

**Hope you liked the Fire Emblem: Awakening reference. 'Till next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back! Well, I have the outline of this story done. Just have to actually put it to paper, so give me a bit. Anyway, please review if you have a few minutes to spare. I really do appreciate the feedback! (Side-note: made this 50% longer than the last one, so I hope you like it!)  
**

**Disclaimer is still in effect**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Days Two and Three: Gathering Intel and Getting a New Look_

* * *

"So I _still _have to learn more about him?" Isabelle asked, reading the article while having a cup of coffee. Well, she probably had enough info on him to satisfy whatever requirements the book had. She _did_ have his file on hand, as his secretary. To make sure, she slid out her file cabinet and thumbed through it. Pulling out the Mayor's profile, she spread out his papers. Not much was available about his past, but almost everything notable that he did in New Leaf village was noted down. Welcoming newcomer Bangle to the town? That was filed away. The date of his first shift at the Roost? Found on page three. His favorite type of fish? Isabelle had already gotten it memorized. Yep, she felt pretty confident with this requirement.

She flipped open the book to the part she bookmarked, continued reading... and cringed. How was she supposed to find out his preference in women? That information _definitely _wasn't made available to her. Oh, just how would she find _that_ out? It's not like she could wait for him to drop by the office so she could ask him the question. First, he was too busy for that. Whenever he came to the Town Hall, he was either doing his mayoral duties or checking up on citizen satisfaction. Second, she was a little too bashful to ask such a blunt question. In the end, Isabelle decided to read on in case there were some tips. "...Check the rumor mill? I guess that could work."

* * *

Isabelle, sitting across a pink alpaca at the Roost, took a sip of her delicious mocha before steeling herself. After listening to rumors about the Mayor for a while, she was able to trace down the source for most of them: Reese. Based on the things he sold and bought and the conversations he had with Reese and the other villagers in the Re-Tail store, Reece was able to amass a more personal profile of the Mayor, and Isabelle wanted it. "Thanks for doing this for me, Reese."

"Not a problem," Reese replied, smiling at the Shih Tzu. The secretary smiled back, as she opened the file. She scanned most of it, till she reached the section that she was interested in. The romantic relationships section wasn't very long; in fact, it was made up of only two sentence: "It seems that the Mayor gets along with Bonbon a little _too _well. The Mayor probably has a thing for Peppy Villagers."

Eh, peppy? That was a little vague. Plus, wasn't she already peppy enough? The only thing that the profile did was give her more questions. Sighing, she closed the folder and handed it back to Reese, who quickly hid it. If Cyrus were to ever see it, the Mayor would end up "seeing in 4D", and neither of the girls wanted that to happen. Isabelle stood up and bowed, saying, "Thanks again. I really do appreciate this."

Reese hollered a reply as Isabelle left the Roost. Since indirect means weren't working, she'd have to ask him in person. She hoped that nothing would go wrong.

She rushed outside

"Um, Mr. Mayor, before you leave…" Isabelle said, tugging on the Mayor's sleeve. He turned around, surprised. They had just gone over some potential town developments, and they had both decided that the campsite should be put near the train station. They had discussed all that was planned, and it was past midnight already. What did the cute little secretary of his need? "I need to ask you something. A-Am I 'peppy' enough for you?"

The Mayor chuckled. Isabelle's face dropped. What did his chuckle mean? It sounded a little too condescending for her tastes. Did that mean that he didn't think that she'd ever be peppy enough for him? Isabelle's competitive streak that rarely popped up was sparked, the fire in her eyes igniting. Oh, she would show him! She'd pep the boots off of the Mayor; she'd-

"Of course you are. Please, be yourself," replied the Mayor. Smiling, he patted the Shih Tzu on the head and walked away, shovel in hand to smack some sense into some rocks. Isabelle was stunned. Her face turned into the shade of a strawberry. She was close to swooning. While bracing herself using a nearby tree, she thought about what the Mayor had said. She was his type! Woo hoo! Oh, and the way he said what he said… it was just so surprisingly _suave_, and she didn't know why.

Oh yes, it was a complete success!

* * *

"Um, Isabelle… are you sure you need that many clothes?" Mabel questioned, noticing the large pile of clothes that were in Isabelle's grasp. It was about as tall as Isabelle, and she looked like she had a hard time balancing the thing. Mabel quickly walked over to the counter to get an extra-large shopping bag. The poor Shih Tzu looked like she needed it. "I appreciate your patronage, but I don't think you're the type to buy four brand new dresses and eight new designs."

"Um… let's just say I suddenly had the urge to splurge on some clothes," Isabelle replied, shyly looking away as her cheeks flared up. It was all because of the book. The title of part three was "Wear something new to work!", and since the earlier two steps worked out wonderfully, Isabelle had every reason to continue her "How to Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight" quest to win over her Mayor-senpai. Still, she was blowing around twelve thousand bells on the new articles of clothing. Hopefully it would pay off. "I now have the sudden urge to check out some accessories. See ya, Mabel!"

Hauling the huge bag, Isabelle made her way to the accessories section, where she was greeted by Labelle. After greeting her back, Isabelle inspected Labelle's wares. Nothing really stood out to her. All that was displayed was a King Tut mask, two trashy hats, and eyewear she already had. And no, she didn't have to buy an umbrella. She had four designs for umbrellas. She was sure that they were enough. Shaking her head, Isabelle left the shop a little disappointed. She really wanted a new accessory to match the new clothes she'd be wearing to work later that night. Oh well, there was nothing she could do about that.

Isabelle made her way back to the Town Hall, receiving a few weird glances along the way. Probably the gigantic bag of clothing she had over her back. Quickly, she pressed a button hidden inside her drawer. Suddenly, her desk moved forward, shifting to reveal the staircase it previously concealed. Walking down the steps, Isabelle opened the secret door to her room. It was a nice, medium-sized room with a pink theme. Many KK Slider albums were arranged on a shelf. Her bed had a nightstand with a cute little picture of the Mayor working on paperwork at his desk for the Beautiful Town Ordinance. Shoving those idle thoughts aside, she opened out her closet, stowing all the clothes that she had bought except for one. She donned it; it was a nice white sundress. If only she had an accessory to go with it.

She walked out, whipping out her parasol and making her way towards the center of town, where she and the Mayor would have brunch at the picnic blanket they had just funded. There, they were supposed to talk about work details, but Isabelle hoped to change that. Once she got there, she saw him. All dressed up, he set down the picnic basket and motioned for her to sit down. Giving her a good look, he said, "Um, before we start…"

"Oh. What do you need, Mr. Mayor?" Without replying to Isabelle, he walked over to a nearby flower and picked it, planting some seeds immediately after. She smiled at how he followed his own ordinance: "Keep New Leaf Beautiful." He was a good example for other villagers, and it was another aspect she loved about him. Her train of thought was cut when he put the white flower in her hair. She froze. His touch was electrifying, a tingling feeling shooting up her spine. Her heartbeat raced, and her cheeks flared. The fact that she was utterly infatuated with him made itself very known. "Sorry, it's just that your dress was so nice that I _had_ to get something to complement it. Think of it as an… accessory. Now, about the citizen satisfaction rating…"

Even if all they did talk about was work, Isabelle wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry to keep you waiting! Just waiting for a bit of inspiration so that my fluff can get fluffier, and I think I might have just succeeded in the latter part of this chapter. Oh well; you guys will be the judge of that.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Animal Crossing**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Day Four: Making a Home Visit_

* * *

"My goodness, I love this book!" cheered Isabelle, hugging the book to her chest. She had made more progress in her Conquest over the past few days with the book than the past year without it. She could feel him become more comfortable around her as she fought long and hard to become more prevalent in his everyday life. According to the prologue of the book, that was the reasoning behind the steps: to make you unforgettable in his eyes by steadily inching your way into his comfort zone. So far, it was working. She flipped the book to the next step, reading it carefully. "So I'm supposed to pay a visit to Mayor-senpai's house. Seems simple and practical; villagers do it all the time, and it's easy to see some of his personality by the way his home looks."

With a stride in her step, Isabelle made her way out of the Town Hall and pulled out her map. According to its built-in Mayor-tracker, he was on his way back from Tortimer's island. Well that was easy. The docks were nearby, so all she had to do was walk a bit till she saw a slightly exhausted Mayor taking his haul out of a bag. Judging by the amount of rare and exotic fish and bugs he was stuffing into his pockets, he was going to walk away from Re-Tail with a few ten thousand bells in his bank account. Deciding that now was better than later, Isabelle skipped up to the Mayor and hollered, "Hey!"

"Gwah!" cried the Mayor, who was so surprised by Isabelle's outburst that he lost his balance, almost tumbling into the cold waters beneath the docks without his wetsuit. Worried, Isabelle darted for his hand and pulled him back to safety, saving him from an unexpected bath. "Yikes, that was close!"

"Ah, sorry, Mr. Mayor!" exclaimed the panicked secretary, her arms flailing around out of dismay. Her confidence was shattered by that very embarrassing greeting. "I didn't mean to shock you! All I wanted to do was ask you something."

"Oh, it's fine, Isabelle," replied the Mayor, smiling. She never got tired of that smile. "So what do you need?"

"Um, if you don't mind, I'd like to see your house," Isabelle said, her hands behind her back. "It's the talk of the town, after all." That was a gross understatement. Compared to the other villagers' 8X8 tile houses, the Mayor's house was a castle, with multiple rooms and floors. It was a masterpiece of Nook's, that was for sure. She'd love to see the Mayor's house, even if she wasn't deeply in love with him.

"Thanks. I'm flattered," stated a flushed Mayor, rubbing the back of his neck out of embarrassment. She loved his modesty: he knew that he worked his butt off for his house and he deserved the luxury because of that, but he didn't like to brag about it. It was just one of the many things that she loved about him. "Well, let's go. If you stay long enough, I might be able to cook you some lunch."

"O-Oh thank you!" replied Isabelle, wearing her gratefulness on her sleeve. She had a feeling that she'd enjoy another lunch date with the Mayor. She did have a lot of fun last time.

They quickly went to the Mayor's house, and Isabelle had to admit, it was pretty gigantic, just like the rumors said. Way bigger than her underground lair at the Town Hall. She wasn't all that envious of her Mayor - she found her little home quite cozy, and the commute to work was almost non-existent - but she couldn't deny the glamour of the gigantic place she was in. Taking a peek at Isabelle from the kitchen, the Mayor said, "Hey, Isabelle, make yourself at home. I'll have lunch ready in around half an hour."

"Are you sure you don't want any help with that, Mr. Mayor? I'm a decent cook." She was bluffing. All she knew how to cook were burnt pieces of bread and boiled eggs. That was it. Still, if she could spend more time with her mayor, then it would be worth it. The Mayor shook his head.

"No, its fine. Have a look around the house if you want. Leave this to me," said the Mayor, waving aside her offer. Sighing out of relief, Isabelle quickly left the Mayor to his work and just looked around his house. The first floor seemed to be a commons room, housing an entertainment section featuring sofas, chairs, and TVs from the Wooden Modern line of furniture. In fact, the floor and ceiling paper were both from the same line too. The first floor also had a bathroom and kitchen, and Isabelle was surprised at how well everything went together.

Deciding that she had seen everything on the first floor, she ascended the steps to the second floor. A burst of orange hit her: the complete and unmodified Astro series dominated the second story, and a complete set of Red Zap clothing was found up against a wall. A sign that read "To my good friend - Mira" was above the costume. Isabelle wondered just how close she and the Mayor were. She thought back to the first time she visited Mira's house. She remembered K.K. Tango playing in the background - Isabelle remembered anything significant that had to do with K.K. Slider and his music - and the same music was what was blasting out of the Mayor's Astro CD Player. She also remembered the recent Public Works project, which was the Custom-Design Sign, and on the sign was a star: the same one plastered on the back of Mira's head.

But wait. Mira moved away a few months ago. Then again, she could always pay the Mayor a visit. A visit... Isabelle, feeling a tingling feeling shoot up her spine, whipped around and saw an orange bra lying on the Mayor's somewhat worn-out Astro Bed.

"No way… he and Mira wouldn't have- ugh! I'm disgusted!" spat out Isabelle, planning to head downstairs and confront the Mayor, but she didn't even have to do that: she could hear the Mayor come up the stairs, probably to call her to lunch. Once she saw his handsome little head, she pointed an accusatory finger at the incriminating bra and said, "Mr. Mayor, just why do you have this on your bed? And what's your relation to Mira?"

"Um, please relax, Isabelle," the Mayor replied, a giant sweatdrop forming on his face. (Thank you Dr. Shrunk.) "That was a gift from my mom. She told me to give it to a 'special someone'."

"...Oh really now, Mr. Mayor? And what about that section of the wall that's practically dedicated to Mira, huh?" Isabelle was piping mad, steam wheezing out of her ears. The Mayor took a deep gulp. He was warned by his dad that women would act very strangely at times, but he didn't think that his beloved level-headed colleague would burst out like that.

"Well, she was my first friend in this town - aside from you, of course - and we've done a lot together. Heck, she even gave me my first piece of furniture: that old rugged astro bed." The mayor looked at the bed wistfully. Instantly, Isabelle cooled down, her expression almost matching his. Sadness graced his face, and all the shih tzu wanted to do was wipe it away. He continued, "Before she moved, she gave me a bunch of her clothes and furniture as parting gifts, saying that she wanted to start from scratch at her new town. We exchange letters once every week, updating each other on how we're doing. Heh, she's said that she's almost done collecting enough money to pay off her house loan to Ton Mook and gave me a fruit from her new town. To be honest... I really miss her, Isabelle. I really do. She was a very good friend to me."

Isabelle was shocked. She couldn't even begin to fathom the depths of the Mayor's melancholy. He just looked so distant at that moment that they might have been worlds apart. She wanted her mayor to cheer up... even if it meant convincing him to chase after his old friend in a new town, leaving her behind, all alone. All that stopped when the Mayor turned around to face her, a soft smile on his face. He said, "But I'd hate to live in the past. I've got so much else to look forward to here in New Leaf. I'm sure Mira will trive elsewhere; I, on the other hand, belong here. So c'mon, Isabelle. Let's go eat."

"..." She remained silent, simply staring at the man in front of her.

"Isabelle, are you okay- what!?" He was cut off by the hug he had just received from his cute little secretary. Shocked, he stiffened but slowly eased into Isabelle's display of affection, hugging her back.

"It's okay. There's no need to hide your sadness. Let it out. I'll take care of you, Mr. Mayor. I'll be here for you forever." She buried her head into his chest, refusing to look him in the eye in fear of showing him her rapidly growing blush. She had basically thrown the book - which she had praised so wonderfully earlier - out the window and confessed straight away.

"Aw. You're such a good friend, Isabelle."

Friend. Just a friend.

Oh darn it. She was going to have to try harder if she was going to win her very oblivious mayor over. Shoving those thoughts aside, she simply relished her Mayor's embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I'm glad so many of you thought that the last chapter was kawaii; it feels like I finally did decent fluff. I'm not sure how good this chapter is, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.**

**Disclaimer is still in effect**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Day Five: DJ Time_

* * *

It was a slow day in the Town Hall. It was a nice summer day, enjoyed by jocks and lazy villagers alike. No one was into the idea of funding yet another fountain, and the Beautiful Town ordinance was going great. Plus, no one was into asking for citizen satisfaction ratings or changing the town tune. All Isabelle was doing was waiting for someone to come in.

Deciding that if someone wanted to ask for her assistance they would've showed up by then, Isabelle pulled out her copy of "How to make him fall for you in a fortnight". Flipping through the pages, she made it to where she had stopped: Day Five. Just as she was about to start reading it, someone burst into the Town Hall. Isabelle gave off a small "eep!" and tossed the book under her desk. "U-Um, how may I help you- K.K. Slider!?"

"Hey, Isabelle," replied the DJ/composer, greeting the secretary with a smile. She and K.K. Slider were old friends; the three of them - Isabelle, K.K., and Digby - grew up alongside each other in a town known as Canis. The three of them were close. In fact, Isabelle and Digby were the only ones who knew that DJ KK was in fact KK Slider. Sure, it was an obvious alias, but only they were given genuine confirmation. "Sorry for not visiting your workplace in a while. Been busy."

"I know. I mean, you do have more than ninety songs under your belt so far," commented Isabelle, remembering the fact that she had most of his records. "Last time all three of us had a nice little chat in person was when you only published twenty songs."

"I'm glad you remember so well," said KK, chuckling. Then all of a sudden, his face went dead serious. "I'm sorry, Isabelle, but I'm not here for a leisurely chat. I have a bit of business with you for something that's happening tonight."

"Really? If you needed a secretary for a night, you should have informed me two weeks in advance. How am I supposed to get a stand-in for the Mayor on such short notice?" the shih tzu replied, acting as professionally as possible. She'd love to help her old pal, but she didn't want to inconvenience her love in the process.

"Oh, you're worried about your Mayor, right?" asked KK. When he received a nod in reply, he pulled out a notice from his pocket. She took it from him, reading it from start to finish. "I got his permission. He's surprisingly approachable."

"I know all too well, KK." She handed him back the paper. "Anyway, what do you need me for?"

"Well, I kind of have a gig tonight in a place called Canis. Ring a bell?" When he saw surprise on Isabelle's face, he continued. "Glad you remembered that too. Anyway, I couldn't refuse, but I'm also obligated to appear tonight at eight o' clock tonight as DJ KK. As you can see, I'm in a tight situation."

"I see, but what do you want me to do?" asked Isabelle. KK slowly smirked.

"You should fill in for me, of course. No one knows my songs - and their remixes - better than you and I, and since I can't put on a show for New Leaf tonight, I was hoping that you'd do it." Isabelle thought about it for a moment. She did have to admit that she enjoyed his music, and playing it for an audience would be fun, but she didn't want people pestering her for KK's identity after she explains how she's related to DJ KK. Plus, she might not even do a good job at DJ-ing. Noticing the apprehension surrounding Isabelle, KK said, "I really need you to do this for me, Isabelle. Don't worry, I won't let people bug you about DJ KK's identity. I swear. Heck, I'll even put in a good word in for you with the Mayor if I ever get the chance. Please, Isabelle?"

"...Okay."

XOXOXOX

"But what do you mean DJ KK's not showing up!?" cried Dr. Shrunk, flailing about. One moment he was just getting everything for the DJ to take over, then the next moment, the Mayor's secretary says that he's not coming and that she'll take his place. After he was done freaking out, Isabelle slipped him a DJ KK signed letter, which told him all about the circumstances surrounding the swap out. "Oh, I do hope you put on a good show, Isabelle-"

"It's 'DJ Belle' now, Dr. Shrunk," replied Isabelle, setting up her stage. Lights, check. Audio, check. Vinyl, check. Headphones, check. DJ Belle is set

Slowly, the denizens of New Leaf poured into Club LOL, ready for another fun night of dancing to DJ KK's remixes. One stood out among the rest: the Mayor. Isabelle's heart skipped a beat, as she started to feel a bit nervous. Shaking that thought out of her head, she decided to quell the murmurs of "Who's this?" and "Where's DJ KK?" by raising a hand and saying, "Settle down, please. DJ KK's a little busy at the moment, so he asked me to cover for him, and I will. Are you ready for DJ Belle to take over!?"

No one replied. They were still too busy starting up the rumor mill. Isabelle was starting to feel discouraged. It was one thing to make good remixes - she had that covered; it was a different matter entirely to pump out a crowd and have it dance to your remixes. Just as she was about to call in the towel, she heard a cry from the rabble. "Whoo, let's go, DJ Belle!"

She looked at the citizens of New Leaf gathered in front of her. There was one man - one human - who had his hands cupped around his mouth. 'Oh, Mr. Mayor. You're so dependable!'

Quickly regaining her confidence, she bellowed, "I can't hear you! I said, 'Are you ready for DJ Belle to take over!?'"

Club LOL was shook with the force of scores of people chanting "Yeah!" It seemed that everyone decided to give her a chance once someone - the Mayor - helped build up the hype. Riding the wave of momentum the Mayor's holler just gave her, she quickly put on her fastest track. "Let's start this party!"

The night was a success, in more ways than one. Isabelle unknowingly completed step five: Show off your talents.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry to keep you waiting, but I've been drowning in college work. I'm on break now, though, so I hope to bring a few more updates. Also, apologies if the chapter doesn't make sense. It's 1am here, and I'm so cloudy. Just give a review telling me that it sucks, and if enough people tell me that it's crap, I'll rewrite it.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Animal Crossing; I don't/can't make money off of this. Welcome to FanFiction!**

* * *

_Day Six: The Gift that Keeps on Giving_

* * *

"'Give him a gift'?" Isabelle commented, taking a look at the sixth entry. It was all about gift giving and how you can share a part of your life with your significant other. It mentions giving your love interest something unique and personal while also being something that the two of you can do together. Sadly, Isabelle couldn't think straight. She was still drowsy from DJ'ing the night before, so nothing came to her sleep-deprived mind. "Hm… gift, gift, gift…"

Deciding that maybe some fresh air would kick-start her creative juices, Isabelle walked out of the Town Hall and took a stroll. Then, she started to think. Think, think, think. She was so occupied with her thoughts that she ended up in front of the Mayor's house. She took a quick peek inside. No one seemed to be on the first floor, and the lights were dead on the second floor. Next, she walked up to the door. She was met with no resistance; the Mayor forgot to lock his door! Panicking, Isabelle quickly went in and locked it from the inside. "Whew, that was a close one! Man, what if someone were to enter Mr. Mayor's house without his permission- oh wait, that's exactly what I'm doing! If he catches me here, I'll be a goner. I should leave right now."

She was about to do that when a thought occurred to her. What if she were to explore the house a bit more. There was still a room that she wasn't able to check out thanks to that Mira-induced rampage she went on when she saw the Mayor's bedroom. Maybe she could find an idea for a gift in there.

She noticed that the first floor, that a few days ago seemed very warm and welcoming, felt rather empty, rather heartless. It was like the Mayor was the one to bring life into his home. Isabelle smiled as she shook her head; the Mayor always seemed to be the life of the party.

She made her way up the stairs and past the hallway to the bedroom. Soon, she was face-to-face with the door to the storage room. She made up her mind and opened it. What she saw surprised her.

It was a room of pictures. Portraits of each and every villager that the Mayor had encountered were framed and hung on the walls of this room. Some were even put on easels, like Mira's. Isabelle couldn't help but smile. 'Mr. Mayor's always thinking of us. All of us. Just look at all of this. It's so sweet of him to keep us close to his heart like this. Oh, Mr. Mayor, stop being so perfect, or else I won't be able to resist you anymore-'

She was stopped by the sound of a door opening. Oh no! Was that the Mayor? Quickly, Isabelle grabbed an empty frame from off the ground and posed inside it, mimicking a picture. She was right; the Mayor stepped in not a moment later. He seemed to notice that something was off in the room, with that confused look on his face. Then, with a look of realization replacing his confusion, he walked over to a picture of Tortimer and nudged the frame a bit so that it was in alignment with all the other portraits. He only gave Isabelle a slight glance. Once his work was done, he left the room, shutting the door.

Isabelle quickly collapsed, relief flooding her sore muscles. Who knew holding a pose for a minute hurt like heck? More importantly, while she may have succeeded in hiding from the Mayor, she still didn't have a gift. Sighing, she decided to give a last look at the Mayor's collection before leaving, defeated. Then, she realized something. The Mayor didn't have a picture of her. Isabelle said to herself, "No way. I guess that's why he didn't see two Isabelles in the same place and catch my ruse, but then he'd notice suddenly getting a new picture of me. Maybe he was just naturally expecting to have a picture of me?"

And then it hit her. She knew exactly what to give her Mayor.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

The Mayor, after getting up from his nap and admiring his photo collection, decided to go and make himself some post-nap grub. Before he could take a single step, he was stopped by a paw on his shoulder. He cried, "Ohmygodaghost!"

"Relax, Mr. Mayor. It's me, Isabelle," Isabelle interjected, calming down the insanely startled Mayor.

"B-But what are you doing in my house!? This has got to be a dream or something!"

"That isn't important at the moment. Right now, I have to ask you to do something," Isabelle said, trying to end his confusion. The Mayor, who was totally out of it, decided to go with the flow and nod dumbly. "Take a picture with me, and we can hang it in that picture room of yours!"

"Yeah, this is definitely a dream. There's no way I've told Isabelle about that room. I wanted to ask her to take a picture with me for her easel, but I could never scrounge up the courage. Oh well, I'll do what you want, dream version of Isabelle."

That made Isabelle blush. So she could do _anything_ she wanted? Plus, once she was done, he would just associate that moment with a dream. She shook those unbecoming thoughts out of her head. The gift had to come first!

"Then say cheese, Mr. Mayor." Isabelle grasped the Mayor's arm, pulled out a camera, and took the picture.

_The next day, the Mayor just could not figure out where he had gotten that Isabelle picture from._

* * *

**I'll mention this for the sake of clarity. The Mayor was napping in his house when Isabelle snuck in. Once she was inside the picture room, he woke up, noticed that the door was open, and went in. After going in, he was going to go downstairs to cook some food, but he was confronted by a surprise-secretary. It was so ridiculous to him that he decided that it was a dream. Just in case the plot of this arc wasn't clear enough :)  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hehe, sorry for the hiatus. Had a lot of things to do. (Thanks, college...) Also been trying to apply the tactics in this story to RL, just to see if my steps were right. I got slapped around Day 4: Home Visit. Just kidding; I'm way too shy to do lovey-dovey stuff. Oh, and tell me if the chapter's too generic. I'll try to up the ante next time.  
**

**Hint for Ch 8: If first comes love then comes marriage, what happens in between?  
**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

_Day Seven: Finally Making Progress!_

* * *

"Self esteem, hm? Well, I've got plenty of that already," Isabelle noted, sipping a cup of coffee as she read her tattered copy of Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight, "I hope. Er, I suppose I _do_ need a little more work done. Okay, so how do I go about doing that?"

"**Read up on how to raise self-confidence. The companion book to this guide, **_**Feel Better About Yourself in a Fortnight**_**, is available-"**

"In your dreams!" Isabelle cried, quickly shutting the book. Of course they had to insert an advertisement in the hardest step. What a bunch of jokers. Isabelle's life as a secretary taught her to be thrifty, and there was no way she'd buy a book that takes two weeks to follow just to accomplish this task. The shi tzu decided that it would be way better - and cheaper - to ask the townsfolk.

Isabelle hid the book inside her desk and stepped out of Town Hall. It was a sunny day in New Leaf, and everything looked more… _vibrant_. The apples were redder, the grass was greener, and the sky was bluer. The environment just seemed so rich, so full of life that Isabelle couldn't help but admire it.

If only the villagers shared the same spirit. The whole town seemed to be infected by the blues, comical rainclouds above everyone's heads, drenching them in metaphorical rain. Frowns were worn by everyone around the girl, and it did not look good. Concerned, Isabelle walked up to one of the denizens - Felicity the cat - and said, "Hey, you look a bit under the weather. Would you like some help?"

"Oh, it's horrible, Isabelle!" Many possible situations crossed the secretary's mind. The poor cat's parents might be sick, or maybe she had a fight with one of her friends. Thanks to that, Isabelle grew more and more concerned. "My favorite swimmer lost the tournament! It's disastrous!"

"A catastrophe, I'm sure," Isabelle snarkily said, trying her hardest to hold back her sharper-than-normal tongue. Oh, what was happening to her? It seemed that most of the villagers were distressed by insignificant things, and she was unconsciously conforming to the trend, getting ticked off by a slightly annoying cat. As a prideful secretary, she couldn't stand losing her composure.

Quickly regaining her smile, she patted Felicity on the shoulder, handed her a KK Slider CD as consolation (Isabelle _always _has CDs on her person, in case of emergencies of course) and quickly left, realizing that none of the villagers could help her in their state of mind.

Still, her quest for self-esteem would have to be postponed. She had to help her people, and to do that, she'd have to consult the Mayor. She swiftly raced around town, looking for that brown-haired boss of hers. After a few minutes of rigorous searching, she finally found the Mayor saying goodbye to a citizen who looked a lot better than most of the others. "Oh, Isabelle! Just the person I was looking for. Before we get to work, I have to ask; Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fi-" Isabelle cut herself off, realising that she could ask her crush for the answers. He did seem rather confident in himself, and she always wondered how he did it. Yes, it was the perfect time to ask. "I mean I'm not doing so well. I… I'm feeling kinda insecure about myself."

"You shouldn't be, Isabelle," the Mayor replied with a breathtaking smile on his handsome face, patting the lovesick gal on the shoulder. "You're a wonderful person. You're always so peppy, so happy, that it's contagious. It takes all my effort to stop myself from randomly smiling when I'm near you. You're really good at your job too. Every single time I drop by the Town Hall, you're there for me. And… it doesn't hurt that you're kinda cute…"

Isabelle was starstruck. Those words almost sent her to dog heaven. Sure, it wasn't an actual confession, but she got him to notice her a bit. All she had to do was push it a bit, and they'd be together! There was no doubt in her mind that she would succeed! "T-Thanks a lot, Mr. Mayor. You make me blush. Eh… let's go help our villagers, shall we?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, good ol' secretary of mine."

* * *

**I have no idea when I'll be updating this. I'm prioritizing Role Reversal, and I've been itching to give AHBW another go, so maybe after those two.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! I was planning on releasing this sooner, but Valentines was just around the corner, so I couldn't help but wait a week longer to release it. Sorry to keep you waiting! Oh, and please, if Isabelle seems a bit OOC, then please tell me. I need to know to keep putting out fluffy chappies. Anyway, in honor of my Valentines, here's how to get Mayor-senpai to notice you. (Corny opening line, I know.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't make money off of this, so don't sue me!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Day Eight: Jealousy_

* * *

"Whew, that took a while, huh, Isabelle?" the Mayor said, his hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath. They had just finished appeasing the rest of the villagers woes. It was a whole day of running errands, proposing new public works, and one instance of fighting off a bee invasion, and by the end of it the two officials were beat.

"Uhuh. All I want now is a nice warm meal to end the day," Isabelle replied, thinking she'd go out and treat herself to some tasty dog biscuits. Ah, doggie treats: they were Isabelle's favorite! They were really good when paired with some coffee. Hmh, maybe she'd drop by the Roost to get a cup o' joe too. The secretary was shaken from her reverie when the Mayor walked up to her.

"Oh, you wanna get some dinner? I know a good Chinese restaurant that's just a train ride away," the Mayor offered, smiling down at her. This elicited a smile in response from the beaming Isabelle who was just in awe. The Mayor was finally putting an effort to be more than just co-workers with her. He was starting to notice her more feminine charms, and just thinking about that made her blush.

"I-I'd love to! Let's meet up in front of the train station in half an hour, okay?"

"Sure," the man replied, turning his back to the secretary as he walked back to his house. "I'll see you there." Once the Mayor was out of sight, Isabelle quickly rushed back to the Town Hall. There was a whole slew of things to prepare and to do, and with only thirty minutes left to do all of those necessary tasks, she had to book it. Almost knocking over a few of the slower villagers, she made it back to her work cubicle - and her room - in record time. She hopped into the bath and in the span of a few minutes, she was out as fresh as a dog could be. Though she never really liked bathing, she had no time to complain.

Drying herself off, she hobbled over to her wardrobe. Thanks to Day 3's quest to acquire new clothes, Isabelle had a whole closet-full of clothing to choose from. Sifting through all of her dresses and outfits, she found the simple and white sundress that she had worn that day. Despite that it still looked really nice and she hadn't worn it in a while, Isabelle found that it didn't really suit the situation. The way the Mayor worded it meant that he was probably taking her to some high-end restaurant, and while the sundress was more than capable when it came to casual events, it wouldn't fit in at a fancy establishment.

Next to the simple dress was its complete opposite. While the sundress was simple and meek, this scarlet cheongsam was bold and out-standing. It wouldn't be hard to pick Isabelle out of a crowd with that seriously gorgeous dress on. Hoping that the Chinese-themed dress would knock the Mayor's socks off, Isabelle quickly donned it.

"I suppose that this will work," the shih tsu commented, making sure the dress fit well. Taking a look at the time, she realized that she only had a few minutes left to get to the train station; it was all the way across the town too, so she really had to rush. She burst out of the door frantically, running as fast as her little legs could so that she could make it on time.

"Whoa, relax, Isabelle," the Mayor said as she slowed to a crawl once the station appeared in sight. "It's not like I'm going to leave without you. Especially not when you look as gorgeous as you do now."

"Hehe, flattery won't get you anywhere with me, Mr. Mayor," the panting dog managed to get out, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. Despite what she said, Isabelle really was affected by what the Mayor said, and it deepened the blush on her face. "I just didn't want to keep you waiting." She straightened her formerly hunched back so that she could see the Mayor clearly. She almost fell over: he looked so… sharp. While Isabelle's dress was eye-catching and vibrant, the Mayor's form-fitting suit and tie getup simply exuded class and style.

Her attention was moved from the Mayor's outfit to the train chugging into the station. Smiling at the Mayor, she hooked her arm around his and escorted him to the locomotive, the man all too content to let her have her way.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

The train stopped at a town called Lumiose. It was a place modeled after the far-away land of France, with nice cobblestone pathways and a lot of greenery. All the buildings in the town were arranged in a circle around the Town Hall, where one of the Mayor's friends worked. Also, the area was rather spacious, able to fit all of its buildings on one screen - whatever that meant, thought Isabelle - so it was easy to navigate the circular layout of Lumiose's establishments. Despite its reasonable size, the shih tzu couldn't help but think that the town was smaller than the name Lumiose implied, though she didn't know why.

"We're here," the Mayor said, pointing at an Eastern looking building, which had a Chinese flair of dragons and ornaments and looked out-of-place next to its French neighbors. Isabelle was still stunned by how well it looked because although it looked like a stereotypical Chinese restaurant, it was the best looking Chinese restaurant she had ever seen. If the establishment's cuisine tasted as good as the place looked, then Isabelle was in for a treat.

Soon the couple reached their reserved table, which was located next to the fountain that was erected in the middle of the restaurant. Isabelle couldn't help but voice her awe, prodding the candle that was at the center of their big table. "Wow, a candle-lit dinner! While it's pretty corny, it's endearing too."

"Good evening. What would you like to order?" The couple turned their attention to the waitress. This girl - a human - was rather attractive, with a shapely figure and the looks to match. She also looked more mature than the Mayor: while the Mayor's late teen build was far from childish, this waitress was definitely in her prime. As she gave out the menus, Isabelle could see her sneak a few glances at the Mayor, her satin lips curling into a smirk. Isabelle's curled into a frown.

"The salmon looks good. I guess I'll get that," the Mayor replied, oblivious to the waitress's lustful gaze. It also meant that he was oblivious to Isabelle's jealous leer, so she didn't mind all that much. He looked up from the menu, giving the shih tzu a quizzical look. "Are you okay, Isabelle?"

"O-Oh, sorry. I'll have the salad and an eggs benedict," Isabelle informed the waitress. Nodding, she turned back to the Mayor and flashed him a grin, a grin that he happily returned. This girl was getting on Isabelle's nerves. Couldn't that waitress see that she was right here!? Flirting with her Mayor right in front of her... the nerve of that girl-

"Seriously, though, if you're not feeling well we can cut the date short," the Mayor offered. Isabelle made sure to smile and shake her head. While the waitress's rudeness was infuriating to her, the Mayor sure knew how to cool her off.

"I'm alright, Mr. Mayor. Anyway... how is the fountain going?" Isabelle said to start off a conversation. Right after the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted it. Bringing up work during a date is a surefire way of boring him, or in the worst case scenario, it'll change the tone of the date from romance to business according to her trusty book, and Isabelle didn't want that. Still, it's not like she could retract her statement. She could only hope that the Mayor would change topics.

"Well, we're a little short on donations, but I have a rather well-paying part time job-" selling fish, fruit, and bugs "-so it should be complete very soon. Now, I know that you're concerned about my extra hours, but still, it's all in the interest of the villagers. Speaking about the villagers, do you know that Mira visited recently? Isn't she sweet?" Isabelle sweat-dropped. He just digressed into an even worse topic: pretty disappointing. Oh well, she couldn't blame him. It's not like he had his own Make Her Fall for You in a Fortnight book to make references to, and he didn't have the experience to make up for that deficit.

"Yes, very," Isabelle commented, making sure to sound as sincere as she could, "oh, by the way, how did you find this place? You don't travel much."

"Well, this place is only a town away, and I'm friends with the Mayor here," the Mayor put forth, sipping a bit of the water he was given. "And, well, before I accidentally became the Mayor of New Leaf, I loved to travel and explore what the world has to offer, you know?"

"Wow, could you tell me more about your travels?" Isabelle asked, finding the topic very comfortable. It wasn't about some other girl, it was about the Mayor, and it was interesting to boot. It seemed that the Mayor was fine with this too, as he smiled at her.

"I'd be glad to, Isabelle."


	8. Chapter 8

**Yo~ I'm back. I guess I'm a little late - maybe by a few hours - so forgive me for that. This brings good news, though: I'll be focusing on this story till it finishes (in around ~6 chapters, to be specific). Isn't that great? Fluffy chapters every single week for six weeks! I do hope you enjoy this one, though, especially since I'm pushing this out without proofreading.**

**Anyway, please enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter Eight: A Cup of Coffee_

* * *

"E-Eh!? Wow, I'm still on track!" Isabelle remarked, flipping through her tattered copy of _How to Make Him Fall for You in a Fortnight_. Surprisingly, even though she went out on a date with her Mayor instead of perusing the books contents, she was still on track. In fact, she was a bit ahead; there was supposed to be a whole day dedicated to the ever-elusive date, but the shih tzu was able to pull off both the date and the self-confidence event on the same day. It just felt so natural to go on date right after the self-esteem boost. Due to how natural the flow of the tasks were, Isabelle realized how well thought-out the guidebook really was. "I suppose that's why it's a New Pork Times Bestseller."

She then flipped to the next task, which surprised her quite a bit. On the parchment in bold were the letters "Get depressed- or better yet, fake it."

"...I take back what I said," Isabelle stated, looking at her book quizzically. She wondered if a section had fallen out or something. Seriously, why should she become sad after experiencing such a high from the date. She had half a mind to simply scrap the book, but after thinking about it, she decided against tossing the guide in the trash. As stated earlier, it does have a natural flow to it and is normally well explained, so Isabelle would give the step the benefit of the doubt.

"So what do I do, exactly?" Isabelle mused, flipping through the detailed chapter. Apparently, she has to pretend to be depressed in front of the Mayor. That way, she'd be able to lure out his caring side and prove that the date was planned with more than friendship in mind. It was rather ruthless; she was essentially tricking him into exposing his emotions. Isabelle wasn't much of a fan of harming her beloved. Still, she started following these fourteen steps. She might as well finish them.

The secretary checked her watch. It was time for the Mayor to take his shift at the Roost. Perfect: she'd be able to pretend to get a cup of coffee to cheer herself up from her "depression". Ugh, just thinking about deceiving the Mayor left a sour taste in her mouth, especially after such a great date. "Just think of the results. Just think of the results…" Isabelle repeated, trying to cling to the mantra in hopes that it would ease her conscience.

With a heavy heart, Isabelle left her workplace, hoping that it would all be worth it.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

"Isabelle! What can I get you-"

The Mayor stopped his greeting. His secretary looked so… out of it. Normally, she was as peppy as Bonbon, filling the places she occupies with optimism. Now, she looked really down. Her head rested on the bar counter, like she was too tired to even lift her gaze up. Her clothes, which were usually cute and neat were now mute and kinda musty. The Mayor, making sure to not offend the shih tzu, carefully asked, "Are you okay?"

After a few seconds of what the Mayor assumed was her resigning to her situation, she raised her head, and the Mayor was struck with a sudden pang of sadness. Isabelle's smile, the smile that could light up a city and definitely reinvigorated him whenever he was tired at work, was noticeably absent, replaced with a frown that definitely didn't suit her. It was so jarring to the man that he had to rub his eyes a bit. While he was doing that, Isabelle replied, "Eh… I suppose I might be. Can you pass me a cup?"

"Oh, sure. Lots of milk, as usual?"

"No. Keep it as black as my heart, please."

Once again, the Mayor could barely comprehend what was happening. Just what had caused this change in his lovely little assistant? Deciding to forgo subtlety, the Mayor said, "Isabelle, can you tell me what's going on? I… I'm not used to seeing you like this."

He could see her raise an eyebrow, hinting that she herself doesn't know what's causing this sudden bout of depression. Man, he was sure that she had a fun time last night. Maybe the date was a mistake. Oh well, there was no knowing for sure. All the Mayor knew was that he had an Isabelle to cheer up, and he was going to try his darn hardest to do so. He whipped up a batch of rich black coffee and slid it to his friend. She caught it, gave the cup's contents a quick look over, and sipped it. For a few long moments, that's all that happened. Was she just going to keep a friend like him in the dark?

Luckily for him, Isabelle instead confessed, "Well, there has been a lot going on in my mind. Say, could you answer something for me, Mr. Mayor? Just a teenie weenie hypothetical question, that's all."

"Sure! Ask away, Isabelle."

"If you wanted to help yourself, but in doing so you would hurt someone else, would you do it?" Isabelle interrogated, sipping more of her coffee. The Mayor brought a hand to his chin, his expression showing how deep-in-thought he was. Isabelle raised an eyebrow at him, quietly signalling for him to hurry it up with the response.

"Well, I wouldn't do it. As a public servant, I like to put others before myself, so if there's a chance to lessen someone's burden by being inconvenienced a little, I'd take it. It's perfectly fine to continue to help yourself, though; no one, not even me, can be selfless all the time."

Hearing her Mayor's response, Isabelle looked into her cup, her thoughts swirling along with the coffee. So he wouldn't get mad at her for tricking him? That sounds just like him. Huh, just why was she so worried? This was her Mayor; she loved him for how compassionate he was, among other things. Deciding that was long enough, she chugged down what was left of her coffee - ew, bitter - and reached over the counter. She swung her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Her muffled voice said, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

"You're welcome. I'm glad to be of service, Isabelle," the Mayor replied, patting the shih tzu on the head. He chuckled nervously. "Now, while I don't mind the hug, we're causing a scene."

"Eeep!" Isabelle cried, quickly separating herself from the embrace. Coughing to chase away the awkwardness, the blushing secretary looked at her Mayor, whose blush mimicked her's, and said, "Er… sorry about that. I really needed the advice, though, so thanks! Will I be seeing you later?"

"You can count on it, Isabelle."

* * *

**See you next week~**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry to keep you waiting! Thanks to college work and other extracurricular things, I had totally forgotten about my promise to bring a new chapter every week on the dot. Well, I hope you aren't too annoyed by a day of delay. Also, I'm writing this at midnight from where I'm at, so pardon the lack of proofreading. I really hope that this chapter is still enjoyable despite me writing this in the span of an hour while drowsy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't make money off of this (sadly).**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter Nine: Paperwork and Mail_

* * *

"Oh, now I'm really depressed," Isabelle remarked, quickly reading through an important document concerning a new bridge. She had this and a lot more paperwork to sort through, and it was all thanks to the date and the depression. They took too much of her work time, and although she didn't regret those moments, it also resulted in her falling behind in her work. Now, she had stacks upon stacks of unfiled papers to work on.

The life of a secretary is certainly hard work.

Another problem was that she'd fall behind in her "conquest" schedule as well. Unless the next step in her copy of How to Make Him Fall for You in a Fortnight was something she could do from behind her desk, she doubted that she could complete her task of the day.

The life of a maiden is certainly hard work.

Luckily, Isabelle was a professional. In just a few hours, the first tower of paper which used to reach the ceiling was now merely twice her height. Streching for a bit, the shih tzu decided that she might as well take a break. She tapped a specific knock onto the table, causing a panel to slide open. It revealed a coffee pot, some creamer, and a mug. Smiling, she prepared herself some coffee. She took a sip, and although it wasn't her favorite kind of coffee, she found it to be quite delicious. Leaning back, she relaxed, hoping that the Mayor wouldn't catch her slacking off.

Oh, the Mayor. If she was set back a bit in her work, the Mayor must be drowing in the back-log of villager complaints that needed to be satiated and documents that needed to be signed. She empathized with him - she did have a lot of work as well - but she couldn't go over and comfort him: the paperwork would force her to hole up in the Town Hall for an eternity.

Isabelle, thinking that she might as well see what she could do to help the situation, cracked open the guidebook of hers and began to read, pouring her attention onto the yellowing pages.

"Write him a letter?" Isabelle inquired, sipping more of her coffee as she perused the chapters contents. According to the book, it was necessary to put physical distance after the emotional drama caused during the depression stage. That doesn't mean that she shouldn't let him go a day without thinking of her. The letter is a perfect way of keeping her in his thoughts while still keeping that oh-so important distance.

Well, it sounded easy enough. Isabelle brought out some stationery from her ever-reliable desk, giving it its own space on her cluttered workspace. Then, she pulled out a cute little pen that looked like a quill. Alright, now it's time to write.

Er... what was she supposed to write again?

Isabelle checked the chapter's contents for what to actually put in the letter. While it dedicated an entire paragraph to an explanation, it can be summed up in one sentence: Do it yourself. While it says that she should "speak what she has on her mind" and that it's important to "complement him a bit but keep it subtle", those were too general. Speak what was on her mind? So what, was she supposed to write a complaint to him about all the darn paperwork on her desk? Preposterous.

Isabelle tossed the book aside, choosing to instead concentrate on the pink sheet of paper in front of her. Just what could she write about? Nothing was coming to her. Leaning back into her chair, she muttered, "I could talk to him about the town and his work."

She scrapped that idea as soon as it left her mouth. Sure, it would definitely complement him on how suited he was as the Mayor, but she was sure that he didn't want to be reminded about his work at the moment. She shifed her eyes at the looming pile of paperwork. _'Heck, _I_ don't want to think about work at the moment.'_

"How about the other cities?" Isabelle mused. It could be a pretty good topic starter... if she wanted a rich conversation. At the moment, though, all she wanted was to hit the Mayor hard with a good uplifting paper that didn't need any reply other than "thank you." Plus, if she needed to know all the cool stuff in other towns, she could have just Googled it.

"Darn, all I can think of is him..." Isabelle sighed, bringing her arm to her brow. Man, they had a ton of good times together: all in less than two weeks. She remembered the day she gave him that delicious pie as if it was yesterday. Ah, the look on his face made her just want to-

That's it.

"I could write a letter about all of our good times together," Isabelle concluded. She never really repaid him directly for the lovely date and the depressing times, after all. Wouldn't a letter thanking him for all that and more be perfect? With renewed resolve, Isabelle's paw flew across the paper, said paper getting filled with cute cursive: the musings of a girl who wanted her lover to notice her. Within minutes, she folded up the letter and stuffed it into an envelope, sealing it shut with a heart sticker.

Quickly, she made her way over to the Mayor's house, which was as big as usual. All the lights were off, except for the one in his room. Obviously, he was hard at work; she expected nothing less of her Mayor. Instead of knocking on is door like all the other times she had been to his humble abode, she opened his mailbox and slipped her letter into it. "Oh man, I really hope I don't sound like too much of a dork."

On the contrary, he thought she sounded sweet. Now he wanted to repay her...


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the delay. I've been ****_really _****lately. It's getting to the point that I worry about not making it next weekend either. I'm trying to cram "Mayor-senpai" into the schedule, though, so don't worry!**

**Again, please pardon any typos. I'm writing this at 12:50am right now, so don't be surprised if a few errors fly past me. If any aggrivate you, please PM me (or leave it in a review) and I'll rectify it post-haste.**

**Disclaimer is still in effect**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter Ten: Eggs Benedict_

* * *

"Oh, thanks for the coffee, Isabelle," the Mayor said, off-handedly accepting the mug. He couldn't afford to give his lovely assistant too much attention: he had work to do. There was a sudden wave of offers from other mayors to make cross-town projects. They seem to like New Leaf's offerings, and they want to plan more. The Mayor closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back. If only their offers were good for New Leaf. Seriously, what kind of mayor would let another mayor just come over and bulldoze perfectly good land for something that isn't even profitable? Not him, that's for sure. After stamping the proposal with a big fat "DECLINE", the Mayor turned to Isabelle in order to ask for more work, taking a huge gulp from from his nectarous coffee.

He instantly spit it out.

Luckily, Isabelle's rather skimpy outfit wasn't the target of the Mayor's sudden spit-take. She was dressed from head to toe in a "maid outfit", though no real maid would get caught dead in what that shih tzu had on. She grabbed the edges of her short skirt and slightly pulled it up, performing a curtsy. "Are you satisfied, Mayor?"

The Mayor looked into his cup, checking if anything in his coffee was affecting his vision. Just what reason would meek little Isabelle have of dressing up as a French Maid of some sort? Putting the coffee mug in his hand down, he rubbed his eyes, wondering if the ludicrous image would go away. It didn't. While he didn't really dislike her outfit - his mind made sure to store that image of her for later perusal - he found that it wasn't really safe for work "Er… if it makes you happy, Isabelle."

"I live to please," Isabelle said, curtsying again. She went back to the pile of paperwork to get more stuff for the Mayor to do, but that wasn't even on his mind at the moment. With just a simple wardrobe change, she effectively forced herself into the Mayor's mind. "It seems that you aren't well, Mayor. Would you like to take a break?"

"Well, it is getting pretty late," the Mayor commented, looking at his watch with a blank look on his face. Internally, however, there was a struggle to get away from the tempting sight in front of him. It was a hurt on his pride as a gentleman, but Isabelle was just so… wow. "Alright, I'll take my leave. See you tomorrow."

The Mayor got up from his desk and promptly walked out of the Town Hall. As he was greeted by the cool evening breeze, a surge of relief swelled within him. Ah, it's so good not being in the hot seat. Stretching a bit, the Mayor continued on his way back to his house in utter solitude-

Wait, is Isabelle… following him? Yeah, she was. Hands clasped in front of her with her elbows bent near her waist, she was the perfect example of a serene, demure woman. The costume she had on was kinda conflicting with the projected image, but that didn't matter. The Mayor made sure to address what really mattered, "Isabelle, your place is over in that direction."

"I'm quite aware of that, Mayor."

"Then why are you still walking with me?"

"So that I can continue to be of service," Isabelle replied, flashing him a brilliant smile. The Mayor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He just couldn't say no to that smile, now could he? Turning around, he gave her the brightest smile he could muster.

"If that makes you happy," the Mayor replied, opening the door to his abode, "then welcome home, Isabelle."

The shih tzu paused for a moment, a red tinge appearing on her cheeks. She nodded her head, letting herself in, as the Mayor closed the door behind him, allowing himself to breathe easier. It was just a co-worker staying over, after all. What was the worst that could happen?

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

"ZzzZzzZz." The Mayor snored as he clenched his throw pillow tighter and tighter. He was having the most wonderful dream, and though he couldn't quite put a finger on what kind of dream it was, it was pure ecstacy, and the Mayor didn't want to wake up from it-

"Good morning, Mayor."

"Woah!" the Mayor cried, shocked from the sudden voice. He flew out of bed, wrestling with the covers as he struggled to get up. Just what was a woman doing over at his place so early? Oh yeah. Isabelle was sleeping over. Well, at least he hoped it was Isabelle. She just seemed so off, and the maid costume that she was still wearing wasn't helping. "Oh, Isabelle. It's just you."

"I apologize for the trouble, Mayor," Isabelle replied, extending a hand in the Mayor's direction. He took it, pulling himself back up to his feet. "I took the liberty of making breakfast for you. I do hope that an eggs benedict suits your tastes."

"Sounds great. Let's go," the Mayor said, making his way down to the first floor, where the dining table was located. He was walkig down the stairs when he noticed that there was no one following him. He turned around to see that Isabelle was still upstairs, and from the sound of it, she was sweeping up his room. Inquisitive, the Mayor returned to the second floor, and saw what he expected. The secretary was doing rather un-secretary-like things, like dusting up her boss's room, realigning some of his picture frames, and even reorganizing some of the furnature all in order to make the room look neater. "Hey, Isabelle, I thought we were going to eat."

"Oh, please, go ahead, Mayor. I'm not hungry, and there's a lot to be done around this house," Isabelle replied, motioning towards the broom in her hand. Without another word, she went back to her cleaning business. Scratching his head, the Mayor waked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She looked up into his eyes and asked, "Is there anything else you need taken care of, Mayor?"

"Isabelle, just what are you doing? I appreciate the help and all, but this is unnecessary," the man declared. Sighing, the shih tzu pocketed her equipment. Taking off her Maid's Bonnet, she stared away from the Mayor, guilt evident on her face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor," the girl replied, clutching the bonnet to her chest. "I just... I just really want to do so much more for you. I always see you work so hard for your citizens... for me. I just wanted to repay you, that's all."

Isabelle 'eeped' as long arms encircled her. Looking up, she saw the kind and gentle smile of her Mayor grace her. "You're always helping me out, Isabelle. Everytime I'm stressed out behind the Mayor's desk, you bring me a cup of coffee without me even asking. You give me gifts, even without a special occasion. Heck, when I was bogged down by work the other day, you even sent me a letter, which motivated me to keep on going. If I'm working hard, then you're working even harder, my little secretary.

"Now, let's go eat."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi. It's finals week for us; kind of why I was late. Mou. Oh well, at least I'm less than a week late.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this cliche chapter... even though it may be littered with typos.**

* * *

_Chapter Eleven: Green with Envy_

* * *

"Anything else on my schedule, Isabelle?" the Mayor asked, patting the neat pile of finished paperwork in front of him. Isabelle held up the tablet in her hand, skimming through it in order to look for the Mayor's next agenda. Well, her Mayor was on time, so she'd only have to check the calendar for that day... oh.

So today was the day, huh?

Isabelle's chest constricted as guilt settled in her gut. She had never felt more manipulative than for the task of the 12th day. To take advantage of her position as the Mayor's secretary disgusted her, but she had to follow the book. The book was what had gotten her so close to her Mayor in the first place, after all. Still, she didn't like what she was becoming, but if it resulted in a loving relationship with the Mayor, then come what may.

The Mayor, noticing the girl's dismay, waved a hand in front of her, saying, "Hey, are you okay, Isabelle?"

"O-Oh!" Isabelle snapped out of her trance, clutching the tablet to herself. "Today, we'll be welcoming the Mayor of New Pork City. Do you remember him?"

"Yes, he's one of the few that proposed a reasonable cross-town project. Is he already here?" the Mayor asked, rising up from his seat. He'd have to go and greet the other mayor himself while Isabelle prepared the hidden Town Hall conference room.

"Why yes, the train has just arrived," the secretary responded, fidgeting with the edge of her outfit.

"I guess I'll go and greet him now-"

"There's no need," Isabelle interjected, opening the door to the conference room. "Please, just take a seat. I'll go ahead and pick him up."

"If you say so," the Mayor replied, walking into the room. Making sure that the Mayor was none the wiser, Isabelle shut the door. She gulped, trying to muster some resolve. She would need it for the task at hand.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Burajio," Isabelle said, bowing to the dog. The dog watched as she straightened out her short pencil skirt, the tight low-cut suit of hers hugging her curves. With the discipline of a politician, he looked away, though one could see him sneak a peek every now and then. Perfect. Though it disgusted her, it was the exact reaction she was looking for.

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss… Isabelle, was it?" the golden retriever replied, shaking her hand. As their hands met, she made sure to squeeze a little, expressing her "intent" quite clearly. By the way Burajio raised his eyebrows, he definitely felt it. She also made sure to let her finger linger when the handshake ended, dragging the digit along the other dog's hand.

"Yes, though you may call me Belle, if you desire," Isabelle replied, trying her hardest to elicit flirtatious lines from the other mayor. Ugh, she sounded like such a dork! While the book did teach her how to do it, it's not like she had practice. Oh, she hoped that this Burajio guy was susceptible to flirting.

"If it makes you happy, Belle," Burajio said, offering her a hand. Oh, so he _was _susceptible. Her attempt at "sexy" was working!

She decided to let him escort her to the Town Hall, putting a hand on his elbow. While she _did_ want him to become attracted to her, she was still uncomfortable with being so close to someone she wasn't familiar with. Oh, she hoped that the Mayor would forgive her after all this was over.

They made their way over to the Town Hall, with Isabelle making sure to keep up a conversation with him. That way, when they made it to the conference room, their appearance would shock the Mayor.

And when she saw his jaw drop, she knew she did something wrong.

"I'll talk to you later, _Mr. Burajio_," Isabelle said, making sure to put a bit of emphasis on his name. He smiled as she left his side, returning to her Mayor's. It was the best side, at least for her - a place of familiarity - though for some reason, it felt oddly cold, empty. She took a look at her Mayor's face, and all she saw was grief. The Mayor was straining to keep his composure, though she could see signs of a frown starting to bloom and a few drops of sweat pour down his face. The guilt struck hard. Despite Burajio's presence, she tried to desperately get her Mayor's attention, putting a hand on his shoulder. He awkwardly shrugged it off, getting up to greet his new partner.

Oh, she messed up this time.

* * *

**XOXOXOX**

* * *

"Taking your… offer into account, I'll bring it up with my board when the opportunity presents itself. Till we meet again," Burajio said, getting up from the seat. He bowed and took his leave, making sure to wave a bit at Isabelle before exiting the room. Sighing, the Mayor picked up his things and was going to walk out the door too when he felt a tug on the back of his suit. He set his stuff down and took a look at his secretary.

She was looking up at him, the saddest eyes on her face. She didn't look sad when she was around that other guy. Heck, the Mayor was kind of glad that the project failed; for some reason, he just could not work with that dog.

Isabelle's hands were clutched to her chest, covering the skin that was exposed by her low-cut suit. Where did she get that anyway? She never wore it around him... though she brought it out when she was meeting Mr. Burajio. Ugh, why did he not see it coming. All those times Isabelle was being kind to him were just a result of how kind a soul she was. It was a reason why he… respected her, though he couldn't help but think that it could have been a sign for more. But no. It seems like she had eyes for a _different_ Mayor.

"Is there something you need, Miss?" The Mayor inwardly flinched. He sounded like a cold jerk. The man's bitterness was replaced by guilt in the blink of an eye. She has the right to like anyone she wants, idiot! You aren't entitled to fits of jealousy. At least _try_ to act professional!

Isabelle felt it too. All she wanted to do was flinch away from the man in front of her. This wasn't her Mayor. This cold, depressing man was NOT her Mayor. Just what did she do to him? All she wanted to do was follow that stupid book, and now the Mayor's completely different thanks to her flirting. Oh, why did this have to happen? "Mr. Mayor, just let me explain-"

"It's okay, Isabelle," the Mayor said, smiling. It was empty, completely void of life and warmth. What an obvious facade. All Isabelle wanted to do was break that damn facade down, try to find the _real_ Mayor once more. "There's nothing to explain. Heck, I don't even know why I'm like this. Hehehe…"

"Anyway," the Mayor interjected, cutting off any potential comment on how fake his half-hearted chuckle was, "I'd like to get some more work done."

"Would you like me to assist you, Mr. Mayor?"

"There's no need. I'd hate to burden you after all you've done to help me," the Mayor replied. A deafening silence settled in the room, the heart-broken Mayor sending a sad smile to his rueful secretary. "You know, I always think about how to repay you, and I think I've got just the thing."

'No!' Isabelle cried internally.

"I could put in a good word for you at Mr. Burajio's office," the man offered as his heart plummeted into his stomach. "You seem to be very interested in working under him."

"That's not-"

"I'm tired, Isabelle. I'm going to retire for a bit. See you tomorrow morning." The Mayor turned around and tried to pick up his stuff till a hand was placed on top. He followed the hand, looking at the angry face of his secretary. That was a first.

"Jeez, please let me finish what I'm trying to say! I dislike being confrontational, but wow, you're pretty rude right now!"

"Y-You're right-"

"No… there's no time for self-pity, Mr. Mayor. If you're so tired, take a nap: meet me by the fountain at midnight. We have to talk."


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve: Midnight_

* * *

The Mayor wasn't having a good day. He let his jealousy take control of the earlier situation, resulting in the loss of the partnership with New Pork City. It wasn't just that either. He also ticked off the most patient person in New Leaf: Isabelle. Oh, when she started to snap at him, he knew he had messed up big time.

Still, the Mayor was not the type to run away when things go awry; he'd be there at the fountain at midnight.

But first, he had his duties to attend to, like dealing with the crowd at the bulletin board. Heck, half the town was surrounding that poor poor board. Wondering just what was going on, he pulled out his megaphone and yelled into it, saying, "Everyone, please, calm down. Can you make way for me? I'd like to see what's causing the commotion."

The villagers parted, though their attention was still mostly focused on what the bulletin board said. The Mayor could make out bits and pieces of information, like "And I wanted to stay up tonight and fish too" and "Waking up early's gonna suck". Was there a new project that seemed to slip under his notice? Isabelle would have tended to that if that was the case; she's rather efficient when it comes to taking down problems. Then again, she _has _been acting weird lately, especially with _that other mayor_, so she could have missed it too. But hey, Isabelle's always reliable, right?

Ironic, considering the fact that she was the source of the problem in the first place.

The Mayor rubbed his eyes, making sure that there was nothing obstructing his vision. Nothing changed. It was still a sudden temporary Early Bird ordinance notice effective tonight and tonight only, and it was still signed and approved by Isabelle without his permission. Heck, the signature ink was still a bit wet, as if she had just put the notice up and called everyone's attention to it.

"Just what is that girl up to?" the Mayor wondered, a hint of fright seeping into his voice. This was definitely a result of the little incident earlier. Thinking about it, he guessed that the ordinance - which forced the denizens of New Leaf to sleep and wake up three hours earlier - was so that no one would be around the fountain at midnight.

Wow, Isabelle could be crafty when she wanted to be.

Still, he had to calm down the town. He turned around, put his mouth to his megaphone once more, and announced, "Yes, there is a temporary curfew thanks to the ordinance, but be aware that this is only temporary. After tomorrow, everything will go back to normal. If there are any concerns, please bring it up with the secretary's office."

With the thought finally settling in, the crowd dissipated, leaving just the Mayor to stand in front of the bulletin board: just him and his thoughts.

* * *

"Hello, Mr. Mayor," Isabelle greeted, looking at her Mayor. He looked guilt-stricken, with his gaze never meeting hers. She could guess that he didn't like the fact that he was so affected by her flirtatious side.

She didn't like it either, and she felt just as guilty. Isabelle knew that they were both going to get hurt, but… she had to do it. It was a step in that damned book; there was no skirting around it. Speaking about the book, she couldn't simply say that "oh, I only flirted with that guy 'cause of this book I've read". It would defeat the purpose of crushing the Mayor's heart in the first place. Still, she couldn't help but feel her chest tighten.

"Isabelle… I-"

"Please, take a seat first," Isabelle interjected, patting the cold marble beside her. The Mayor gulped, obvious reluctance on his face. After what seemed like an eternity, he made his way over and sat next to her.

"I'm sorry, Isabelle. I don't know why I treated you so coldly back in the conference room. It's just… when you two came in, you looked so… happy by his side. I guess… I guess I was jealous," the Mayor confessed, his gaze remaining downcast.

Isabelle's heart dropped too. This was the first time that she had seen this side of her strong Mayor, and it was all caused by her. Enough dwelling on that; it was time to fix it.

"Look at me, Mr. Mayor," Isabelle said. She received no response. The Mayor continued to look away from her.

Gently, as if handling something fragile, she reached out for her love, placing a hand on his cheek. Delicately, she brought his gaze over to her. Finally, she could see the deep brown pools of his eyes and the depth of emotions these things held. Fear, anxiety, shame… those things did not belong in her Mayor's eyes.

"...Isabelle." She tenderly caressed her Mayor's face, stroking her thumb along his cheek. The shih tzu moved in closer, enveloping the man in her embrace.

He was warm.

She could feel her Mayor respond, wrapping his long limbs around her waist. He squeezed gently, as if telling her to never let go. She would never want to.

"Mr. Mayor," Isabelle breathed out as she watched the Mayor's face turn a shade redder. She could feel her own cheeks flushing too. "There's no need to be jealous. I will always be yours, if you'd let me."

She leaned in, bringing her lips to his. Soft, she thought, as the embrace they were in grew tighter and tighter as their arms struggled to bring the two closer and closer together. Sweet, she thought, as she incessantly pressed her lips against his. Musky, she thought, as she breathed in her Mayor's smell. Unforgettable, she thought, as she broke the kiss to look at her Mayor.

Isabelle finally got what she wanted.

* * *

**Cheers for AN's at the end of the chapter! **

**Anyway, sorry if the chapter was too corny. I've yet to woo my own Senpai - maybe I should purchase a copy of _How to Make Her Fall for You in a Fortnight_ \- so I'm not too confident with eliciting more serious feelings from my readers. I'd love the feedback, though.**

**Also, the next chapter will be the last planned chapter. It's been a long ride, folks. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.**

**EDIT: Darn, I thought I uploaded this before the weekend. Oh well, better late than never.**


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